Display rack



Feb. 17, 1942. N. G. HURLBUT DISPLAY RACK- Filed May 20, 1941 fiaviiflflia' f 212' i o By 24m Attofney Patented Feb. 17, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEv DISPLAY RACK NewcllG. Hurlbut, Joplin, o.

Application May 20,1941, Serial No. 394,376

1 Claim.

My invention relates to display racks for flowers, the invention being designed as an improvement over the support forming the subject matter of my copending application Serial No. 320,919, filed February 26, 1940, which has terminated in U. S. Patent 2,246,441 on June 17, 1941, to which attention is invited.

The principal object of the instant invention is to provide a simply constructed rack for supporting a large number of usual floral sprays provided for funerals in fanwise arrangement at different levels from the floor and which is equipped for supporting such sprays in a wide variety of different arrangements to form different color combinations.

Another object is to provide a device of the character and for the purpose above set forth which is readily foldable into compact form for carrying or storage when not in use and which may be easily unfolded and set up when desired.

To the accomplishment of the above, and subordinate objects presently appearing, a preferred embodiment of my invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing, set forth in detail in the succeeding description, and defined in the claim appended hereto.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the preferred embodiment of my invention unfolded and set up for use, I

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in perspective of one of the spray supporting rods and the fastener thereon, and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in elevation of another of said rods.

Reference being had to the drawing by numerals, the rack of my invention includes a stand I similar to the usual music rack stand and including upper, lower, and an intermediate section, 2, 3, and 4, telescopically related for relative sliding adjustment to increase or diminish the height of the stand as desired. The lower and intermediate sections 3, 4 are provided with the usual collars 5 and set screws 6, the latter for establishing the adjusted positions of the sections. The lower section 3 is adapted to .be supported by the usual tripod arrangement of legs I having their inner ends pivoted, as at 8, to a collar 9 slidable on the section 3 so that said legs may be folded alongside said section. Aset screw I0 is provided in the collar 9 for securing the latter to the section 3 in the folded or unfolded positions of said legs I. The usual pivoted braces II are provided between the legs I and said section 3.

elongated tubular rod adapted'to be extended 1 above the intermediate section 3 to form together with other rods presently described a fanlike flower supporting assembly.

Suitably secured to the upper section 2, as indicated at I2, and centered relative thereto to extend equidistantly upon opposite sides thereof is a substantially semi-circular flat metal plate I3 arranged so that when the rack is set up its curved edge will be uppermost.

A plurality of light gauge tubular rods I3 are pivoted as at I5, to the plate I3 adjacent the curved edge thereof and with the pivots I5 spaced equidistantly around said edge upon opposite sides of the section 2, the arrangement being such that the rods I4 may be unfolded fanwise in radially extending position relative to the plate I3 upon opposite sides of the section 2, or, folded side by side when not in use substantially parallel with and alongside the section 2. As will be understood, the rods I4 are preferably of the same length and the section 2 above the plate I3 is the same length as the rods I4. v

Pairs of links I6 connect the rods I4 and section 2 together in pairs, each pair of links being pivotally connected together at inner ends thereof at l1 and having its outer ends pivoted to the appropriate pair of rods I4 or the section 2 as the case may be, as represented at I8, the pivotal connections I8 being arranged at substantially the same radial distance from the plate I3 so that when the rods I4 are unfolded, said rods will be equidistantly spaced apart.

A U-shaped fastener link I9 is pivoted, as at 20, to the outer end of one of the outermost rods I4 for swinging over the outer ends ofthe remaining rods I4 when the latter are folded together to thereby hold the rods in folded position.

Each rod I4 is provided with a plurality of latterly extending pins 2| spaced equidistantly along the same, all of the pins 2| extending from the same side of said rods. Preferably the pins 2I have the form of tenpenny nails of suitable length extended through the rods I4 and welded thereto, the welding not being shown. Similar pins 2i are provided on section 2.

The use and operation of the invention will be readily understood. When the rack is set up and unfolded, as illustrated in Figure 1, the floral sprays, not shown, are hung on the pins 2|, either. pinioned thereon or hung loosely as desired. The fanwise arrangement of the rods I4 and the spacing of the pins 2| provide for hanging a large number of the sprays in varied arrangementto produce diiierent color efiects as will be clear. All of the rods Hi may be used or only a selected number of intermediate rods if desired. When using the intermediate rods I4, the outermost ones may be folded separately in a manner which will be clear. When the rack is not in use, the rods l4 may be folded side by side by breaking the joints 18 of the pairs of links I6 in the usual manner and folding said rods on their pivots l5. The legs I and braces [I may then be folded alongside the section 3 of the stand I and the sections 2 and 4 adjusted inwardly of the section 3 to collapse the stand I into a compact unit which, together with the folded rods 14 may be accommodated in a relatively small storage space.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suffice to im- What I claim is:

A flower display rack comprising a foldable stand including an elongated rod section adapted to be disposed in upright position, a segmental plate fixed in said section to extend equidistantly upon opposite sides thereof intermediate the ends of the section with its arcuate edge uppermost, a plurality of rods pivoted at inner ends thereof on said plate upon opposite sides of said section with said ends spaced along said edge whereby said rods are swingable into and from outwardly diverging fanwise relation, means to limit swinging of said rods into diverging relation comprising pivoted links, pins on said rods and section for hanging floral sprays thereon, and means to lock said rods together against outward swinging comprising a loop member on one rod swingable over the outer ends of the other rods when said rods are swung from diverging relation.

NEWELL G. HURLBUT. 

